Rate My Professor Lisa Weckerle

Lisa Weckerle, Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, specializes in Performance Studies and Popular Culture. She teaches a variety of classes including Popular Culture, Performance Studies, performance of literature, group performance, women writers in performance, theatre, and COMM 211: Performance and Production for Young Audiences. This standout course is community-embedded, offering students practical, hands-on experience that enriches their learning and prepares them for real-world applications. Dr. Weckerle's teaching approach focuses on active participation rather than passive listening, fostering deep engagement and drawing students from communication studies, women's studies, and other disciplines. Her courses are noted as student favorites, and she has directed notable productions such as 'For Colored Girls' by Ntozake Shange, adapting the script to accommodate 13 auditioning students from across the university.

Dr. Weckerle's scholarly work centers on popular culture in communication studies, with particular interests in mythology, Breaking Bad, and women's anger. She is actively writing a book on Breaking Bad and has presented her research findings at multiple academic conferences. Her publications include the article "AMC's Breaking Bad and the Myth of the Frontier," published in 2018 on the MediaCommons platform In Media Res. For her dynamic scholarship and innovative pedagogy that positively impacts students, Dr. Weckerle was awarded the 2024 College of Visual and Performing Arts Faculty Excellence Award. She serves as faculty advisor for CAPS@KU, the Culture, Arts & Performance Studies student organization, previously known as PERFORUM. Additionally, she contributes to university governance through membership on the International Initiatives Committee (term ending August 2027), the Officer Election Committee, the Library Committee, and others. Dr. Weckerle has also led workshops, such as one introducing Teatro Campesino at Kutztown University's 85th Annual Art Education Conference.